Telegraph instrument.



No. 730,858. '.PATENTE) JUNI.' 1e, 190s.'

M. ARMSTRONG.

TELEGRAPH INSTRUMENT.

`APPLIOA'LION FIL-1m rma. as. 1902.

xo nonni..

J IWW W' www me Norms PETERS co, vworauwo 4 wAsmNnToN. D. z;

Patented June 1e, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

MARTIN ARMSTRONG, OF' KENNEY, TEXAS.

TELEG RAPH INSTRUM ENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 730,858, dated J' une 16, 1903.

Y Application led February 28, 1902. Serial No. 96,181. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern: Be it known that I, MARTIN ARMSTRONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kenney, in the county of Austin, State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph Instruments; and I do hereby declare the following to be Va full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Generally stated, the object of my invention is to provide a simplified and improved form of telegraph-transmitter whereby any person may send atelegraphi'c message even though such person may have no knowledge of the Morse alphabet. A

A special object is to provide a construction whereby the transmitter may be easily and cheaply manufactured.

Another object is to provide a construction which will facilitate the operation of the transmitter.

Itis also an object to provide certain details and features of improvement tending to increase the general efficiency andV serviceability of a telegraph-transmitter of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a plan of myimproved telegraph-transmitter and also of an ordinary receivinginstrument or sounder, together with the stylus which forms a part of the transmitting instrument, the electrical connections-between the three instrumentalities being shown in diagram. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofl a transmittingboard on line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

The receivinginstrument or sounder 5 can be of any suitable known or approved character. The battery 6 can also be of any suitable character.

The transmitter-board A preferably has its upper surface provided with a number of transverse grooves 12, which are provided with widened portions 15 at their startingpoints. As will be observed, a letter of the alphabet or a numeral is arranged opposite the starting-pointof each groove. The metal 10 is preferably run into recesses formed in the top of the board, these recesses being so Vdifferent grooves.

formed that when filled with metal each groove is provided with one or more contacts corresponding to the letter or numeral allotted to such groove. Preferably the recesses for the metal are formed, the metal is run in, and the grooves l2 are then cut through the flush surfaces of the insulation 9 and the metal 10. The contacts thus provided for the guidegrooves l2 can all be electrically connected in any suitable manner. For example, a metal back plate X can be provided for the board, and the metal run into the recesses can make contact with this plate. It is obvious, however, that any'otller expedient can be adopted for assuring a perfect electrical connection between all of the contacts of the The stylus B can have an insulating portion 8, provided with a metal contact-point b. When the sounder, the battery, the stylus, and the mtal 10 of the board are all connected up in series, as shown in Fig. l, a message can be transmitted over the line from the board to the soundex' by simply drawing the contact-point of the stylus over the contacts in the different grooves-that is to say, such a message can be transmitted by drawing the stylus along the grooves corresponding to the letters which spell out the words of the message. If desired, longitudinal guide-grooves ct can be formed in the top ofthe board, and the contacts of these grooves can be provided bythe metal 16, which is run into recessesin a manner similar to that already described. The contacts thus providedv for the guide-grooves a can be of a character to spell out either words or sentences. Consequently in this case each guidegroov'e may represent a word or sentence. Thus the board can be provided with a number ofgrooves any one of which represents a word or sentence and also with a number of grooves any one of which represents a letter or numeral. The metal for the grooves ct can be electrically connected with the circuit in the manner previously described. Thus it will be seen" that Iprovide anexceedingly simple vand inexpensiveform of telegraph-transmitter wliich can be 'operated by persons having no knowledge of the Morse code as well as those skilled in the art of sending telegraphic messages in the ordinary manner.

With myimproved transmitter any person can readily learn the Morse alphabet and can in a short time become proficient in sending telegraphic messages in the ordinary manner. In other words, my invention may be employed for teaching the art of sending telegraphic messages with an ordinary key.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination of a telegraph-transmitter consisting of a support composed of insulation, recesses formed in the top ot said support, suitable metal run into said recesses,

parallel grooves cut through the ush surfaces of the said insulation and met-al, numerals and letters of the alphabet being arranged in their proper order at the startingpoints of said grooves, the said metal being so disposed as to provide each groove with one or more contacts corresponding to the letter or numeral alloted to such groove, a stylus'adapted to be drawn along the said grooves and over the contacts, a telegraph-receiver, a suitable source of current, suitable conductors for connecting the stylus and metal of the transmitter with said receiver and source of current, means for electrically connecting,r all of said contacts, whereby the passage of said stylus over the contacts in any particular groove Will cause said receiver to sound the letter or numeral allotted to such groove.

2. The combination of a telegraph receiving instrument, a suitable source of current, a telegraph transmitting instrument, said transmitting instrument consisting of a board of insulation provided with recesses, metal run into said recesses, parallel grooves cu't in the iiush upper surfaces of said board and metal, suitable characters or indicating de- Vices located opposite the starting-points of said grooves, the said metal being so disposed as to provide each groove with one or more contacts corresponding to the character or indicating device allotted to such groove, a

stylus adapted to be drawn alon g said grooves and over said contacts, means for electrically connecting all of said contacts, and suitable conductors for connecting the said stylus and the metal of said transmitting instrument with said receiving instrument and source of current. Y

3. A telegraph instrument comprising a board of insulation provided with recesses, metal run into said recesses, parallel grooves cut in the iiush surfaces of said metal and insulation, said grooves being widened at their starting-points, letters of the alphabet arranged opposite said widened portions of the'grooves, said metal being so distributed as to provide each groove with one or more contacts corresponding with the letter allotted to such groove, and a stylus adapted to be drawn along said grooves, means for electrically connecting all of said contacts.

4. A telegraph transmitting instrument comprising a board of insulation provided with recesses, metal run into said recesses, a set of parallel grooves cut in the (lush surfaces of said metal and insulation, numerals and letters of the alphabet arranged opposite the starting-points of said grooves, said metal 

